Welcome to Hogwarts: Another Story (Book 1)
by Tony0423
Summary: Join Tony, a young new wizard, and his friends in the castle we all hold dear; Hogwarts! Going through the many trials of which may or may not terrorize the inhabitants of the said castle in the process. I suck at summaries, I promise the story is better than it sounds. I don't own Harry Potter, disclaimer so I don't have to do it every chapter. Updated once every week.
1. Chapter 1

**So before I begin this new story I'd like to point out a few things.**

 **First- I had originally created this story when I was 14 years old. The only reason why I'm posting this newly rewritten story is that of one of my friends pleading with me to finish or at least continue writing this story. The original was god awful and I cringe reading whatever I had written already.**

 **Second- I doubt I'll ever post the original story, seeing as how it was incomplete, to begin with. I may have to take back those words in the near future due to my friend also having access to both versions of the story. I do owe her a few too many for my liking.**

 **Third- I'm now 18, recently graduated High school, and will try to find as many opportunities to write. I have to finish this damn thing anyway.**

 **Also, in regards to my other Fanfictions: I may have to postpone adding to those just to focus on writing this one. I will eventually finish HYEFFSYKU. And there is also an AdvancedShipping Story I am currently writing whenever I get writer's block with this story. Someone PM'd me a few years back and I did promise to write it, so I've been doing that too.**

 **Now, without further delaying the inevitable:**

 **Welcome to Hogwarts: Another Story**

* * *

Packing up his trunk, a young 11-year-old boy with black hair and black eyes smiled as he packed a few of his closest belongings. It was the end of summer vacation, yet he didn't feel the least bit of anxiety. He was actually excited because, as you may have guessed by the genre and the title, he was accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The possibilities of learning magic were endless. All the RPG's he's played throughout the years coming into his mind, which he may soon make into a reality. That, of course, couldn't have been further from the truth as he had no idea that the wizarding world had even existed until the day he received 2 letters in the mail, one from Hogwarts and one from Ilvermorny. The thought that 2 schools wanted him was more than enough to send the kid into a spiral. He had shown his parents almost immediately and was soon sent off to London to live with his Aunt and Cousin.

It was a no-brainer, really. If the boy were to go to Ilvermorny, then he'd quite possibly accidentally perform a spell outside of the school grounds and very much put his family in danger. With him 'Studying abroad' while living with his aunt, then people would assume he had just gotten into an accelerated program at some private school in London, which wasn't that far from the truth if you really thought about it.

The transition wasn't all that difficult, and the trip to dragon alley was an enjoyable experience as he acquired his wand; a rare Applewood with a Phoenix Feather core 12½". Ollivander even commented on how the combination itself was very hard to come by, and only a few have ever had such. The supplies weren't all that hard to acquire, and he even got to catch glimpses of a few other kids following their parents and older siblings around as they ran to get their own supplies. It was an overall fun experience, and the boy even got to buy himself a Black Cat, named Xenia. There was no need for an Owl, seeing as his Aunt had 3 personal owl's, one of which was going with the boys to the castle.

"Now, remember, don't cause any trouble! The last thing we want is for you to be expelled because you decided to throw a whole box of Dungbombs into the Grand Hall during a holiday banquet. Don't think I didn't see you sneak in while I was fighting to get you your books. Johnathan, you better keep an eye on him, don't think you won't go unpunished if anything does happen to him. So help me I will send a howler that has dwarfed any in existence, capiche?" Angela, a 47-year-old widow with blue eyes and black wavy hair, glared at the two boys in the back seat as she drove down the road towards Kings Cross.

The two boys, John and Tony, sat stock still and straight as two boards in the back seat as they began to sweat. The lady might be getting into her older years, but that doesn't mean that she was any less scary than when she was a youthful teenager. Once she placed her gaze back on the road, the two boys visibly calmed and sighed in relief.

"You'll be fine. She's just riling you up for the first term. There's nothing to be worried about. The Headmistress already knows about Xenia and is fine with it, Destiny is in her cage and busy eating a rat she found this morning, and you've got all the things you'll need for school. There's nothing to worry about" John, a brown-haired kid who looked to be about 14, reassured Tony once more, having noticed his younger cousins demeanor.

"Besides, once we're both in Gryffindor I'll be able to show you around the castle as much as you like. It's kinda weird that they're starting the term on a Friday, but I'm not complaining." John then took out a spare pen and tapped it to his lips. "If this is the case, then we should start classes on Monday."

Tony simply stayed quiet and began to stare or the window.

Thoughts of the castles corridors and the mythical creatures he had read about in his books flooded into the young boy's mind, his finger sticking into the book on his lap, the potions book for first-year students.

"I can't wait."

 **|—|**

When they arrived at the station, the place was as busy as could be. This, of course, attracted a lot of attention as the woman walked briskly in front of two boys, one pushing a cart with 2 ginormous trunks loaded on top and the other riding along casually taking in the sights of the Station.

"Woah! This place is HUGE!" Tony practically yelled, the noise of Kings Cross making it sound like more of a whisper.

"And busy." His Aunt grumbled as she quickly turned a corner. When John pushed the cart around the corner, Tony could see clearly the signs of both platforms 9 and 10. This caused Tony to turn toward John in confusion.

"Quick question." The black Haired boy began, once again glancing at the signs and back at his ticket. "Where the hell is platform 9¾? I only see platform 9 and platform 10."

John began laughing, not slowing down at the clear confusion of his cousin. It didn't help that the brown haired boy was currently pushing the cart towards a wall. John smiled as he looked around, checking if anyone was looking. He then began to run toward the pillar. Tony noticed this and began to freak out

"John..." he said, the cart gaining speed.

"John." they were about to crash into the pillar.

"JOHN!" Tony closed his eyes, expecting to crash into the pillar, only to feel a small gust of wind. He opened his eyes to see another train, this one both dwarfing the size and general aesthetic of the ones seen in the station before. Tony was at a loss for words as he looked over at the Scarlet train.

"This train is known as the Hogwarts Express," John said, looking over fondly towards the train. "It'll take us to the school grounds once it departs, so you may want to get comfortable. You may even encounter some of your lifelong friends on your rides here." John then pulled the cart close to the train, about midway in its length, before grabbing a hold of one of the latches of the trunk. "Help me out."

Snapping out of his trance, Tony hopped off his cousin's trunk and helped pull his own onto the train. They pushed it into an empty compartment, sighing in relief as they began to head back to get John's own trunk. They got back to see Angela waiting for them by the cart, noticing how John's trunk was missing.

"Your friends took it. I'll be expecting a letter from each of you at least once a month. It's fine if it's a joint letter. Tony, dear, come here." She pulled the young boy off to the side.

"I know it might be scary, and I know this world is all new to you, but you must always remember to be yourself. No matter what house you are put into, you must prove to yourself that you belong. No one else matters. If you are honest with yourself, everything that follows will be child's play. Now, give me one last hug." Angela opened her arms, taking Tony into one before she dragged her own child into the other. "I'm going to miss you two goofballs. The house isn't going to be the same with you guys gone." She then sighed as she briefly looked at the ground.

"Take care of each other. You're family first, house second. Blood is thicker than water. So let water go under the bridge and enjoy yourselves. Take it from this old coot: You're not getting younger." She ruffled their heads and gave them one last hug.

"Do have each other's backs. You'll need it more than you can ever know." She then pushed them onto the train.

"Oh, and help your cousin ease into this new world. I'll see you guys later!" She checked her phone quickly and then began to walk into the crowd, the boys eventually losing sight of her.

They retired momentarily to Tony's compartment John helping his younger cousin settle in, before he perked up, a devilish smile appearing on his features. Tony did not like the way that smile was placed.

"Well," John said with a bit too much happiness, "this is where I leave you until later. I'll see you around Tony." Before the younger cousin could say anything, John had bolted out the door, running down the hall to join his own friends in a compartment further down the train.

Tony sighed.

 _'Great. I have no idea where I'm going, nor how the hell we got through that pillar to here, and yet he just leaves me with all these questions. God damn it, John, you always do this shit!'_

The compartment door opened to reveal a somewhat skinny boy with brown, slightly curly hair. He smiled brightly as his hazel eyes had glazed over in relief. "Hey. Is it ok if I join you here? I'm new here so I don't have any friends, and most of the other compartments are practically full." Tony nodded, gesturing for the boy to sit. He nodded his thanks, pulling in his trunk. The boys worked together to put it away on the other shelf, with a lot of difficulties. A few trial and errors, a helpful older student, and two quick 'thank you's later, the boys sat across from each other, smiles on their faces.

"My names Alex, by the way. Just Alex, not Alexander. I hate when people call me that." His face darkened for half a second before he looked back up at the boy sitting across from him. "Can I ask what's yours?" Tony waited a few moments before answering.

"The names, Tony. It's nice to meet you, Just Alex." The boys then sat in silence. Tony took out a book for his bag and began reading. "Whatcha got there?" Tony smiled. "Just one of the books from the list. I'm really getting into this potions book, you know. It's really fascinating." Alex looked at the other boy with a curious expression before it dawned on him. "You're a muggle then, right?" His voice was edged with delight.

"Well, not so muggle-ish now anyway." Tony fired back, holding the book a bit higher.

"That's so cool! I've never had a muggle friend before! I barely even had any interactions with your kind! I'm a pureblood, which means both my parents are wizards." The Wild haired boy smiled as he began to open up. Tony nodded in understanding; John had filled him in on the necessary vocabulary used by wizards when they had gone to Diagon Alley.

Their conversation lasted for a good five minutes before Alex finally ran out of questions for Tony resulting in both kids sitting in silence once again, Tony not being much of a talker with new people, but he felt comfortable with this one. Maybe it was his wild personality? "Question," Alex stated once more, Tony putting a tab on his book. "Are you a first-year like me?" Tony nodded an affirmative, asking why right after.

"Yeah, it makes sense. It's just that my parents told me that anyone who read the books before we got to school either had a test coming up or was a first-year muggle." Alex smirked, a hint of amusement evident in his voice.

"They give tests as soon as you get back?" The conversation then took off once more, the two boys chatting up a storm for a decent hour, in this time the train left the station and Alex began learning even more about the muggle world and Tony of the Wizarding world.

"So I don't suppose you know any Quidditch teams, then?" Alex asked, tearing into a bag of chips he had brought along in his chest.

Tony shook his head. "I don't even know what Quidditch is. Is it like golf or something?"

Alex facepalmed, a groan escaping his lips.

"Dude, if your gonna be a part of the wizarding world, you're gonna have to know what Quidditch is."

The door suddenly snapped open, revealing a girl standing in the doorway.

She was a tall girl with dirty blonde hair and green-blue eyes. She was in her Hogwarts robes, sporting a beanie that had the Hogwarts insignia sewn onto the front. The two boys jumped at the sudden action, looking at the girl as she smiled while looking between them.

"Did someone say Quidditch?"

Tony looked towards Alex, who could only blink and meekly raise his hand. He then regained his bearings and promptly pointed at the boy across from him. "He doesn't know what it is. But then again he's a Muggle-born, so it's not very surprising."

The girl let herself in, closing the door quietly behind her. She sat down next to Tony and began to explain the basics of the game, pulling out what looked to be a book with all the specifics of the game and with a diagram that moved to show off an actual in-game setting. The book even had moving pictures of players, which bewildered Tony slightly, having seen a few in his other school books. The explanation took so long that, by the time they had finished, the train was almost at Hogwarts.

"You boys better change. We're almost there." Kayla, the tall girl, had said, getting up and heading out to who knows where.

"We'll see you around, Gryffindork." Tony waved before pulling off his clothes and changing into his robes. Alex had come up with the nickname because of her last name: Griffin. It only went better with the fact that she was a half-blood, her parents both having attended Hogwarts. One a Slytherin and one a Hufflepuff. Maybe she could be the first Gryffindor. But that was a thought for the backburner. The boys began to pull off their sweaters and changed quickly into their robes, having just enough time to clean up their compartment and sat down for a few quiet minutes of self-preparation.

He was nervous as the train began to pull into the stop. He looked out the windows to see a massive castle in the distance. Tony looked at Alex, frightened. "Don't worry buddy, you'll be fine." Tony closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. He was hoping that Alex meant those words because right now his legs felt like jelly.

They walked out in the calm swarm of students exiting the train and watched as a few of the older students got into carriages that seemed to move on their own.

"First years! First years over here!" Tony heard over the sea of students. He turned toward the source of the voice, only to see a rather tall man who was bellowing to all the first year students.

Looking through the crowd of first years, he saw Kayla getting into one of the tiny boats, signaling for Alex and himself to hurry up and get in. They rushed to get on a boat, a shy girl joining them on their boat as the others had filled quickly.

"No more than four to a boat!" The man called, getting into his own boat. Once everyone was in they began their trip toward the castle. "TO NARNIA!"

The little fleet of boats moved off all at once, practically gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass, sans the boat's movements. Everyone was silent, staring at the castle that was to be their destination. No one really paying attention to the words previously shouted by the man.

"Heads down!" The man called out his warning as they neared the cliff that held the castle. The boats continued through a tunnel of ivy, that ended in an underground harbor.

They then proceeded to climb up a flight of stairs, ending with them in the shadow of the castle. Tony's nerves still haven't gone down, they did the exact opposite, they multiplied until they were making him shake completely. The students piled onto the stone stairs, waiting outside. The tall man then banged on the door three times.


	2. Chapter 2

**Tony POV**

The doors to the main hall opened up to reveal a tall, grey-haired witch in royal blue robes stood there. She stood proudly with her chin held high as she looked around at all of the first years. A small smile broke onto her face as she looked around.

"The first years, Headmistress McGonagall," the Oak said.

"Thank you, Professor. I'll take it from here." The headmistress said as the professor walked off, humming a tiny tune to keep himself busy.

She pulled the door wide open, letting us all see the inside of the entrance hall. I looked around and noticed that the stone walls were lit with flaming torches, I couldn't make out the top of the ceiling, and a beautiful marble staircase, that was facing us, that led to, what I assumed was the upper floors.

We followed McGonagall across the stone floor, a few of us tripping on each other's robes. Hundreds of voices could be heard coming from the right, most likely where the other students were. The professor leads us to a small empty chamber, just off the hall. We were all feeling nervous about what was going to happen next, but it really didn't matter at the moment. Apparently, the room was meant to hold a much smaller crowd, seeing as how we were jam-packed in the room, a lot of us stood closer than we should have been.

I was lucky enough to get a spot on the wall and leaned against it as Alex and Kayla stood nearby. The chatter in the room was a gentle hum as the many first years began to speculate on the sorting process, others trying to predict their houses, and others talking about miscellaneous topics. I took the time to look around at the many different students and future classmates, few really catching my eyes.

Before I could come up with a topic to talk about, the headmistress began to speak about the 4 houses. A topic which I would do well to pay attention, her words not mine.

She cleared her throat. "As I was saying. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are here, at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor." She said with a twinkle in her eye, probably remembering her years when she was a young witch. "I hope you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours." She then took a step outside of the room before turning back to us, as she seems to have forgotten to mention something.

"The sorting will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered on some students, my own catching a glimpse of hers. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." And with that, she left the room and the full conversations had begun once more, the topics solely on the different houses and lineages.

"My father was a Gryffindor but my mother was a Ravenclaw."

"Well, at least I know which house I'm getting into, Hufflepuff~!"

"A lowlife like you? Of course! Hufflepuff is simply for those who have no other redeeming qualities. The leftovers, if you will."

That last one left a sour taste in my mouth. It seems I wasn't the only one as Kayla was quick to draw her wand and keep it pressed against the person who spoke that line. The boy had purple hair, dyed it seemed, and grey-blue eyes. He quickly turned as he felt the pressure on his back only to stumble back into the people he just insulted. The expression Kayla wore was unreadable and frightening, to say the least.

"Take that back."

The boy quickly got over his initial shock before smirking with a carefree expression on his face.

"Or what? Are you gonna jinx me? I bet you're a good for nothing Mudblood." A quick draw of my own wand shut his mouth up as I held it between his eyes.

"She might not, but I will. Say something like that again and next time it won't only be a threat." I saw him visibly start to shake as 3 wands were pointed in his direction, Alex having brought his out just in case. The kid then huffed as he began to shove his way to the other side of the room, completely disregarding everyone else.

I gave Kayla a thankful nod as we turned to the kids who were insulted.

"You guys okay?" Kayla asked, putting her wand away.

"Y-yeah. We're fine. Thanks." The taller of the two spoke. It was then I noticed that the shorter of the kids was the shy girl who had rode on the boat with us.

"Don't mind him. He's one of those proud Pureblood folk. People like him make me sick." Alex rolled his eyes and he stared after the boy.

Before we could continue further, the Headmistress returned, a visible smile on her face as she looked at the sea of potential.

"Please form a line and follow me," McGonagall said, waiting for each student to get in line. I placed myself all the way at the end of the line with Alex in front of me. Next came Kayla, and the two other kids behind her. There was a bit of trouble forming the line, seeing as how many students there were, so 2 lines were made in its stead.

As we moved along I kept thinking about how the different houses would affect my future. Would everything be different if I was sorted into a specific house? Would I be more powerful in one house but more sympathetic in another?

Similar questions were running through a few of the other first years' minds. Others were only worried about what the test would be or how they would be sorted. I looked back and caught Kayla's gaze, she looked back at me with uncertainty. I gave her a reassuring nod which she returned in response and turned around again, making sure not to step on Alex's robes more than I already had.

We walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, stopping briefly at a set of double doors. From the back, I saw that they opened enough to allow us to pass. The line started moving again and soon we were walking through the great hall, in front of all the other students. I saw some wave to family and others being waved to. Some people stuck their hand out, only to be smacked by their relative.

We were then lead to the front of the room and made to face the other students and the teachers. Headmistress McGonagall laid down a stool in front of all the first years. On top of the stool, she put down a pointed wizard's hat. It was torn, ripped, and looked like it was on the brink of falling apart. To add to the effect it also looked very dusty and old. I looked around the hall, only to notice that everyone's attention had turned from the first years to the hat on the stool. I gave a confused look before looking at it myself. That's when I noticed that it began to move.

A rip appeared just above the brim of the hat, opening wide, like a mouth. I blinked in surprise before it began to sing!

 _"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._  
 _You can keep your bowlers black,_  
 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._  
 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._  
 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_  
 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
 _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_  
 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
 _if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_  
 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
 _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._  
 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The entire hall broke into applause. I clapped along with them, astounded at the fact that a hat could not only think for itself but would single-handedly sort all the students in the history of Hogwarts. That hat was probably older than this school!

After a few moments, the hall quieted down and the Professor proceeded to take out a roll of parchment. "Please sit on the stool and put on the hat as I call your name." She then put on her reading glasses and began to read.

"Aaron, Brian."

A boy with black hair and green eyes walked up to the stool and put the hat on. It plopped down, covering his eyes.

There was a pause for a few seconds before it shouted out.

"RAVENCLAW!" The second table from the left exploded in cheers, I could see a few people getting up to congratulate the boy and celebrate on being the house who got the first kid this year.

"Anerine, Gina" The hat covered most of the black haired girls face since she was small-ish, and the hat waited for a few seconds.

"RAVENCLAW" The second table to the left erupted in cheers again, as they welcomed their first new Female.

"Bazerko, Alex" I watched as my newest best friend got up and put on the hat. The hat plopped onto his head and landed just over his eyes. It waited a full minute before shouting out.

"SLYTHERIN!" The Slytherin table erupted in cheers as it welcomed its first new student.

The process kept going for about 2 minutes before another familiar person was called up.

"Griffin, Kayla." I watched as Kayla casually strolled to the stool and sat down. The hat waited for a few minutes before making its final decision.

"SLYTHERIN!" I clapped as Kayla went to sit with her new house, sitting beside Alex. They looked towards the stage once more, looking in my direction with a bit of hope in their eyes.

The ceremony continued, each new student getting sorted after a few moments on the stool. Every time getting closer and closer to my own sorting. "Feliciano...Giordano... Hirano... Jackson... Klark... Lopez... Martinez..."

I sighed, my nerves not calming down one bit.

 _'Alex, you lied to me! This is not fun! I am not fine!'_ I was beginning to panic and I knew it. Still didn't help cope but it was better than nothing at that point. The professor was getting closer and closer to my name, and it wasn't a pleasant kind of nervousness. It was completely unbearable, I was about to cry, puke, or faint. Maybe all 3… in that order.

Before I could come around to actually going through with the action, a movement crossed my path as a girl began to move closer to the stool. I caught her ghostly white skin, probably pale from being nervous, same with me. But there was something about this girl that made me stare after her. I could have sworn our eyes met, and in that instant, I felt my heart jump. What the hell was that?

I could clearly remember her eyes were a deep brown, almost black… I've only seen that shade once before… In the mirror. Her light brown hair fell on her shoulders in waves, curls bringing the tips to an end. I managed to regain my bearings after hearing the sorting hat shout out "SLYTHERIN!" and that's when my own resolve strengthened and I looked towards my 2 new friends, eyes ablaze with determination.

"Ponce, Tony." And just like that whatever determination and fire I had was extinguished like a pail of ice water to the face, my own face paling as I frantically looked towards the center of the stage.

"Oh shit, here we go." I heard myself say, and apparently so did the rest of the hall as a small ring of laughter quickly came out of my words. Kayla holding her face in her hands while Alex tried, and failed, to hold in a laugh. After gathering whatever courage I could within those few seconds, I began to move towards the stool. My legs moved on their own, my fear growing ever larger by the second.

What if I wasn't sorted? What if I didn't actually have any magical powers? What if this was all a dream resulting from a coma that I was in? What if this was just some fanfiction that was written out of a threat from a friend of the authors? All these questions seized the second I sat on the stool, the Headmistress allowing the hat to slip onto my head and down to the bridge of my nose.

As I sat wondering what was going to happen, I heard a tiny deep grumble erupt into my mind.

 _"Hmm. Where to put you."_ I felt myself jump, what?

 _"Fret not little one. It is but me, the hat currently on your head. You've nothing to worry about. It was just myself wondering aloud as to where I shall put you. I can see that you have the ambition to prove yourself in this unknown world. I can also see that you are keen on learning as much as you can while in school._

 _"While those traits are welcome by Ravenclaw above all others, I do not sense a wanting nor an affinity for you in that house. Your cousin belongs to that of Gryffindor and, while you are brave in times when it counts, again I do not think it will suit your needs. Hufflepuff would enjoy your honor in preserving friendships, and your loyalty to your friends. Yet, knowing this fact, and the fact that a Quiver of Cobras works better together, I see it that your perseverance and your resolution are fit for none other than..._

"SLYTHERIN"

My vision was blurred when the hat was taken off of my head. I could see it smirking when I glanced back before walking towards the roar of the Emerald Sea.

'Perhaps the ancient hat was right...' I mused, looking over towards my friends and the rest of the Slytherin house.

 _'Maybe a Quiver of Cobras is just what this school needs.'_


	3. Chapter 3

After having been sorted, the students were then presented with a grand feast that went on for at least 2 hours. In this time, many of the older students reached out to their newest housemates, often the seventh years and the second years were the friendliest, seeing as how they were either leaving after their final year or were in the place of the first years the year before.

"I remember learning the levitation charm the first time around. Nugent usually goes easy the first couple of lessons. He likes to put everyone on a similar playing field but also inst afraid to push you to where he knows you can be." A fifth-year told the group of first years as they hung onto every word.

"There's also Kinloch and her love for Herbology. She makes every class enjoyable and leaves you learning in a warm type of way." A third year said the seventh year next to them nodded in agreement.

"Personally I like Potions. While a lot of people complain about Wine's deep voice lulling them to sleep, his methods of teaching are really simple to follow. Stick to the script and follow the procedure and you should be fine. He's also really passionate about his music, so if you ever want to just talk about anything, he's down for it." Tony was busy staring down at his plate full of food, the intent of finishing yet not having the stomach to do so.

"This is bull." He whispered. His friends hearing him, eating contently as they turned their attention towards him. "I literally didn't eat that much all day. I was starving by the time we got near the castle! And now I can't even finish all this amazing food." He had tears welling up in his eyes, 'dramatic ones' he'd later tell anyone who brought up this moment.

"Well." A voice directed at him caught him mid swallow, causing him to cough up a storm.

"Sorry about that. I was just going to say you aren't the only one." Tony turned towards the voice, having forced the water out of his lungs before his breath caught in his throat. Staring at him with colors reflecting his own was the girl from before. The very one who made his heart jump, this time to cause it to stop yet run a thousand miles an hour at the same time.

"My mom always told me that if you're nervous, you should find something to focus on. That way it won't be so bad." She smiled at the boy, a light dust coloring her cheeks. "I just focused on a certain boy who looked to be in a worse state than I was. So… Thanks for that, I guess." She then quickly hid her face, turning away from the shell-shocked boy. Before he could get himself to say something in his thunderstruck state, however, McGonagall tapped her goblet as she stood from the center of the Professor's table.

"Once again, I'd like to welcome each of the returning students back to another year at this fine school. I want to congratulate each of the houses for your new members, and I hope you treat each other like family. I would also like to tell all first years that the forest around the school grounds is forbidden for any student. Some others needed to be reminded." The Headmistress said, her eyes darting around the room at some people.

"Now, since we've all been fed and rehydrated to our fullest, it's time to sing our school song, so, as my predecessor and friend Albus Dumbledore would say once upon a time, 'pick a tune and sing!'" She said, waving her wand around. The tip began to glow a faint white, before sprouting a long gold ribbon which began to curl into words.

 _"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_  
 _Teach us something please,_  
 _Whether we be old and bald,_  
 _Or young with scabby knees,_  
 _Our heads could do with filling,_  
 _With some interesting stuff,_  
 _For now, they're bare and full of air,_  
 _Dead flies and bits of fluff,_  
 _So teach us things worth knowing,_  
 _Bring back what we've forgot,_  
 _Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_  
 _And learn until our brains all rot."_

After McGonagall had finished, to which she smiled at the students, she put her wand away.

"Now, as I am well aware, you must all be very sleepy. The perfects will now escort you to your dormitories. Classes begin on Monday. As such, enjoy your weekends and you're school year."

Everyone clapped at the words of the kind Headmistress, heeding her words as the perfects stood and rallied up their respective First years.

 **Tony POV**

Once we were all gathered, the perfects began to lead everyone through the giant wooden doors at the back of the room. When we were out in what I assumed to be the main lobby, I quickly noticed the other Houses were going up the steps, meanwhile, the Slytherin's were headed toward stairs that lead downwards, towards the Dungeons. I kept a questioning face as we proceeded to head down, wondering why we were heading down to the dungeons.

The perfect then rounded the corner, smiling widely as she scanned her eyes over the new hatchlings. She had long blonde hair that reached her lower back with bright purple eyes. Maybe they were contacts. I'd have to ask later.

"Now before we go in, my name is Tracey. I am the fifth year female Perfect for the awesome house that is Slytherin. I know that rumors go around about us, and trust me there are a lot, BUT most of them are from the other houses because they're scared of us. That and most greedy butts that turn into dark wizards are from the Slytherin house." She quickly puffed out her cheeks in a frustrated manner. She perked up once more immediately after. "Ok, if any of you need help with anything just ask me or Professor Prozora, he's the head of Slytherin and the Ruins Master right now, although he may come off as a bit crazy… maybe a bit sadistic… You'll see once you have a class with him." She dismissed with a wave of her hand before turning to face the wall. Everyone looked at her as if she was crazy. Why would you just stare at a wall like that?

"Serpentes Cauda"

With that, the stone bricks began to morph in a way that made them twist and turn, a slit of sorts allowing for the wall to slide into itself as it opened up to reveal the Slytherin common room, fit with tables, chairs, fireplaces, paintings, bookshelves. Everything you'd need for a common room for hundreds of students. There was a slight green hue given off by the moonlight entering through the windows. It was upon looking at said windows that I realized that we were partially submerged within the lake, as water could be seen right outside of the glass.

"Don't worry about the windows, they're magically reinforced so nothing can break them from either the outside or the inside." Tracey noticed out quizzical expressions before she shook her head. "Don't ask."

"As shown, the password is Latin for Serpents Watch. We'll be switching it up from time to time to prevent unwanted guests from getting in. I suggest you don't spread the password around unless you want points taken from the house points. I'm sure the Headmistress gave you the whole spiel, but I'll give you one better.

"As in accordance with the Head of House, and every Slytherin currently in this house aside from you first years (for now anyway): Any and all points taken from the house points will follow punishment. Those who are affiliated with the loss of points will fear the Quiver as a whole. In short: Watch yourself if you lose points." The room fell into a chilly silence, all eyes on Tracey in varying degrees of terror.

"The reasoning for those points lost is, of course, taken into consideration." A male voice sounded from the opening of the common room, causing most of us to jump and turn towards the source. Standing there was a boy not much older than Tracey, a seventh year possibly. He had light brown hair and irises a darker shade of purple than Tracey's. His tall frame was intimidating yet welcoming as his hair fell in a calm straight tangle. "But, yes, nine times out of ten you will have to sleep with one eye open." He then sent a non-threatening glare at the female perfect in the room. "Tracey, you always forget to mention that to new students."

We all looked between the two, waiting to see what happens next.

"Sorry for interrupting your initiation speech. I just came from a meeting with Prozora." His eyes swept the crowd, smiling warmly as he ran a hand through his hair, scratching his head.

"Welcome to Slytherin. My name is Cameron. Call me Cam. I'm the Head Boy of this house. That perfect there," he pointed at Tracey, "is my doof younger sister." She sent a glare his way, only for him to nod towards her. This made her roll her eyes, a hidden message sent between them.

"Now, Boys, if you'll follow me. I'll take you to the dorms. We'll leave the girls to their own devices." Tracey chose that moment to begin to lead the girls away, only for Cam to stick his tongue out at her. She spun around and fired a spell toward him which he effortlessly and easily deflected, having it crash into the wall between 2 paintings.

"Nice try sis. Alright guys, let's go." And with that, the two siblings split us up and we headed toward the dorms.

"So, do any of you know any spells?" Cam asked, trying to strike up a conversation. He was unsurprised when no one spoke up. "Hey, it happens. A lot of us here at ol' Hoggywarts were novices when we arrived. Word of the wise, and I'm only telling you because I'll be leaving next year; If you guys really want to be able to practice your charms, I'd suggest practicing with disposable items. You know, quills, parchment, pens, rocks. Any and every chance you get. That's how you'll end up at the top of your class. As the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher likes to say: "Constant Vigilance!" Which he stole from Mad-eye Moody." He muttered the last part, only a few of us boys being able to hear him. Alex nudged my side with a wicked smile on his face.

"Yup. We're practicing like mad."

When we finally entered the corridors leading to the rooms, we stopped at the end of the hall, a sign reading _'First Years'_ being the only indicator that it belonged to us first years.

"You guys are lucky, you get the back corridor. This corridor will remain yours until you graduate, so keep it nice and clean, cuz when you get older I know some of you are gonna do some things that don't fly too well with the morals of some people. Don't do something that will make your mother ashamed of you is all I'm saying." As he said this he began to blush slightly. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"Curfew is at 10 pm sharp and lasts until 6 am. Anyone found outside their common rooms will be punished. Forbidden Forest is forbidden, and all that. Anyway! Prozora gave me a list of who goes in which dorm. Please listen closely, as I'll only be going over this once. Doesn't help that there's been a large influx of students these past years. Seems he even put many of you within the groups you've already established. Anyway. Starting from the room closest to the beginning of the corridor.

"Derek, Vince, Sam, Walter, and Mike in the first room.

Jerry, Hank, Cole, Wes, and Joey in the next one.

Adam, Alan, Chase, Matt, and Scott in the third

Barry, Oliver, Roy, David, and Malcolm in the fourth

And Tony, Alex, Kevin, Richardo, and Jose in the last room." Cam then folded the list up and looked at each of us for a few seconds. "Now, head off to bed and enjoy your weekend. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. I'll be seeing you guys around." He then turned on his heel and walked into the corridor before ours, _'Seventh Years'_ hanging over the opening.

Once he was gone, everyone grouped up and entered their rooms. To my surprise, my trunk sat at the foot of the bed closest to the window at roughly half past 10 o'clock from the door. I, personally didn't care, but I did like to occasionally look at the moon at night, or use its light to read. The trunks being at the foot of specific beds really did help as no one fought for who got what bed. With that settled, all 5 of us threw off our robes, changed (in some cases) into pajamas, and got into bed. Not a single one of us was awake longer than 5 minutes after our heads hit the pillows.


	4. Chapter 4

"Wake up bitch" was heard before a pillow slammed itself into my face. I groaned, pulling the covers up to shield my face and rolling over, too lazy to get out.

"Tony, wake up!" The pillow slammed into me again. I peeked open one of my eyes and looked at my watch.

 _10:12_

I looked toward the window, which gave a clear view of the outside sky, and saw that the sun was up.

"Damn it, dude, wake up!" Alex slammed the pillow into my head once more, making me sit up in bed and glare at him. I groggily scanned the room, spotting Richardo snoring away peacefully.

 _'Lucky Bastard'_ I wished I was him right now. I doubt he even heard any of what had just transpired.

"Alright. I'm up-" stretching felt like heaven since I couldn't go back to sleep, "what do you want?"

"Well, we had plans to look around the castle. Kayla even wanted to check out the library to see if they had anything worth studying before classes start on Monday." He then recoiled suddenly.

"I suggest you shower and brush your teeth first." I smiled sleepily.

"Sure thing buddy."

 **|—|**

"So basically, a devil's snare is always grown in the dark, since they're extremely sensitive to any light. If you ever find yourself bound by one, for whatever reason, set it on fire." Alex explained to me. I was currently writing down notes on things that I may or may not need to know. Better to have notes than nothing at all.

 _"Or shine a light on it,"_ Kayla remarked sending a glare his way. "There are easier ways than setting things on fire you freaking pyromaniac." She angrily whispered his way.

We were currently in the library, going through our books, looking at our schedule, familiarizing ourselves with the layout of the school. The like. Everything was going great. Kayla and Alex were almost polar opposites, yet the one thing that conjoined them, strangely enough, although I should have seen it coming, was Quidditch.

Getting to know the rules from fans was a lot more simple than reading the actual textbook and rulebook. Now knowing the sport a bit better, I was getting really into the positions.

"Beaters are, by far, the most liberal and most restricted players on the pitch. They have to protect their own teammates while simultaneously trying to beat the ever-living crap out their opponents. They're both the sword and the shield!" Alex exclaimed after we got kicked out of the library for being too loud.

"They can't block the quaffle from entering the goal. Can't hit players with the bat. Can't even talk to their teammates without distracting them. I'd say that the Seeker is the best." Kayla countered.

We were currently walking back towards our common room when I saw a group of Hufflepuff students walking in our direction. Judging by the mass of the group and the fact that a lot of them looked lost and around our age, I thought there's a chance they were first years.

I quickly glanced at my schedule, seeing that we would be having Herbology with them. May as well make some acquaintances now than wait it out and be placed in an awkward group situation.

"Hey. You guys are First years, right? From Hufflepuff?" I called out, getting their attention. The group of Hufflepuff students looked over towards us and visibly took a collective step back. I paused my walk, sighing. Tracey had warned us about this.

"Guys come on. We literally got sorted just last night. Not all Slytherin are bad. We even came over to introduce ourselves since we have Herbology together on Tuesday." I calmly explained. I could see a few of them visibly relax but they didn't dare take a step forward.

"My name is Tony. I was sorted into Slytherin and I'm a Muggle-born student." I stuck my hand out, waiting for one of them to grab it. After a few tense moments, and the continued suspension of my hand in the air, Alex sighed in frustration and defeat, shaking his head.

"Don't bother. While the Hufflepuff house is the most loyal, especially to their own, they still are the targets for most bullies, and they know it." He looked at them with pity, something Kayla did as well.

"It's not easy being a Hufflepuff. But being a Slytherin is even harder. Especially when people don't trust you based solely on your house. Come on, guys." I sighed as I finally let my hand drop at my side. I spun on my heel and began to walk in the direction of the common room, a slight weight placed on my stomach. "We'll be seeing you guys around. I hope we can be friends."

 **|—|**

"God those guys were a bunch of chickens! No wonder they're always called the house of leftovers." Alex whined as we got to our common room. I just shrugged and went off towards an armchair in the corner.

"Personally, I don't blame them. What could a bunch of Slytherin first years want with them? If you think about it, it'd be like a bunch of bullies looking for easy targets. Power in numbers does nothing if the enemy is stronger than all your efforts combined. Especially if they have half your numbers with each having double the firepower." I said, putting my head down on the table.

"The last thing we want is to scare away all the other first years minus the ones from our own house."

"No doubt the older Gryffindor students are drilling the rivalry into the first years' heads" Alex mused. It was about that time that the two of us noticed that Kayla had been awfully quiet since leaving the library. We both looked to where we last saw her before we noticed she wasn't there. Or anywhere in the common room.

"Maybe she had something to do?" I asked Alex, only getting a shrug in return.

 **|—|**

It was a while later when I decided to head out again. I had spent my time either reading my books, trying to produce some magic with my wand, or, towards the end right before I left, to write a few letters both home and to my aunt. In them, I wrote all about my first day here. Which house I'd been sorted into, my new friends, and a lot more. I also told my parents that I missed them and I couldn't use my phone while in the castle since the magical barrier didn't let me. Either way, I was headed towards the Owlery to have Destiny, my aunt's snowy owl, deliver the letters.

On my way in, I noticed that there was already a person inside. I paused at the entry to the room as I lightly tapped the doorway, notifying them of my presence. When I saw a hint of green in their wardrobe I felt both relief and slight disappointment.

 _'Looks like it was tough to make friends outside of your own house.'_ That's when I noticed that I knew who this person was.

"Oh. It's you." She said with a bit of surprise, a smile creeping onto her face. "Thanks for being my distraction yesterday. I was so nervous that I didn't think anyone else could be even remotely close. Looking at you helped a lot."

My mind was a blank sheet, I couldn't come up with any words, and I just stood there. Apparently, I looked just as dumb as I felt because the next thing I know, she's laughing at my expression. Of all the times to get caught off guard.

"I- Well you see- uh. Fuck." I opt to look down at my feet instead of continuing my attempts to say anything remotely understandable.

"I'm Karina, by the way. Karina Pinilla." She extended her hand, a bright smile on her face.

"I'm Tony. Tony Ponce. Although I doubt I have to tell you that since you probably knew that already."

 **|—|**

A little while later, after having sent Destiny on her way, Karina and I were walking in random corridors, just exploring the castle and taking mental notes of where everything was.

"I heard that in Ilvermorny, the student body is so huge that they have to teach classes in football-sized stadiums! How crazy would that be! Just one class of each house easily triples our own class!" She threw her hands in the air as if to exemplify her point.

"At least they learn how to use magic without having to say anything. I might just have to start practicing that on my own. You never know when it'll become useful." I took out my wand looking at it closer than I had when I first got it.

"Oh! Is your wand made of Applewood? That's pretty cool! Mine is made of Yew wood. 10½ inches. Phoenix feather core." She proudly said as she took out her own wand. As soon as she did, both our wands lit up at the end and fired off a small burst of magic towards each other, the red line wrapping itself around each of us as we stared bewildered by the fact.

"What was that?" Karina asked in an astonished whisper.

"That, young lady, was magical interference caused by your wands known as **Priori Incantatem**. It would appear as if the cores of both your wands came from the same animal. In this case a Phoenix. The twin cores resonate with one another, though this usually occurs solely during dueling." A woman sauntered her way down the hall towards the two students. Upon closer inspection, and more light, it was revealed to be the Headmistress herself.

"Headmis-"

"No need to explain yourselves, children." She cut me off. "I was merely passing by and couldn't help myself. The last I saw of this phenomenon was witnessing it in a duel. Though the red string of fate seems to have intertwined the two of you. I'll be expecting great things from the Slytherin house these coming years. Perhaps I'll even have the pleasure of seeing the two of you as Head Boy and Head Girl, hmm?" Her eyes were warming and she held herself with an amazing amount of dignity that commanded respect. "Well. I best be off then. Welcome to Hogwarts Miss Pinilla and Mister Ponce." We both stared at her in awe and then looked back at each other and our wands. Oh, boy did this year just get a whole lot better.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up that Monday morning a bit earlier than I normally would.

 _5:56_

The reason for this being because classes started today and I was too restless to not get everything ready both last night and right now. I had quickly put on a pair of black shorts, some socks, and had stayed with the grey shirt I had slept in. I'd change it later. Once all that was done, and after I found my running shoes, all that was left was to go down to the main hall and get my routine in order.

When I got down to the common room I was a bit surprised to see a few other students there. I didn't recognize a few of the older students, seeing as how I didn't know everyone else yet, but I did see Tracey talking with what looked to be a second-year girl.

"...And once you get the ball rolling with Wine, I'm almost certain he won't stop until right before Christmas break." Tracey said, smiling at the younger female. The other girl gave off a smirk, her hands clearly shaking.

"I-I'll be fine, Tracey." She said, flinching at the intensity of the older girls gaze.

"That's what you said about the sorting, and you still looked terrified on Friday night." Tracey teased, only for the girl to turn away from her, a blush clearly evident on the younger girls face.

' _Poor girl'_ I thought ' _must be hard being on the receiving end of Tracey's teases. Glad it isn't me though.'_

It was then that the common room doors opened up to reveal Cam, who looked a bit worse for wear than he did when I met him. Must've been a long night.

"I swear to Merlin I will kill that damn poltergeist if I ever get my hands on that transparent, elusive neck of his!" His hands were placed in front of him as if he were choking something, or someone, or some ghost, and then he looked up tired as can be.

"Peeves." He said simply, the older students understanding immediately what he meant by that. I, however, was left dumbfounded.

"Anyway, you guys are free to go. Don't bug me until tomorrow." He said all this walking in and onto an armchair. As soon as he sat, a soft snore could be heard coming from his direction.

' _Being a perfect must be hard. Being the Head Boy must be even worse.'_

I stood there for a few moments, trying to remember what it was I was planning to do before my stomach grumbled as if complaining about my utter ignorance of its hunger. I guess it was high time I get me some food.

Walking up from the dungeons was actually somewhat of a blessing. While I did have to walk a larger distance to some sections of the castle than other students, such as the astronomy tower or the divination tower, the Great Hall was very close to the opening, helping the Slytherin students be the first to the hall. It also helped since I didn't have to bust my head trying to figure out which staircase leads to my tower. Not throwing shade to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Not at all.

Once I arrived, I took out the notebook I had brought with me and got straight to work. Periods usually lasted around 75 minutes. Which gave me 15 minutes afterward, more than enough time to comfortably make it to my next class. Add to that that I had potions first period on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I'd have a perfectly optimal morning schedule where I would only have to carry my books for at most 2 classes on only Tuesdays and Thursdays. That would change, of course, every year but to have at least an idea of what I _could_ do for the year made me feel a lot more secure.

First period began at 9, which gave me roughly 3 hours to do as I pleased, they would most likely consist of either preparing for class or just eating and talking with friends. Knowing that I didn't have to rush to get my things when it came to potions, I'd leave at 8:30 from here, get my supplies ready and then make my way to Professor Wine's class.

It was a bit nerve-wracking, having spent the past few days in the castle. It was an entirely new world for me. I had minimal encounters with the professors and only a bit more interactions with other houses. Often I'd look at the crowds of students lingering on the castle grounds. Many of them having odd mixtures of first years clumping together. In those groups, you'd never once see a Slytherin. It was a shame, really. You'd think that after having loads of students, especially Muggle-born, join Slytherin, and add to the mixture of house diversity, there would be a lot more friendly relationships. But that just seemed to have the exact opposite effect.

Even families were somewhat torn as younger siblings would be forced to conform to their houses over their blood. If an older sibling happened to be in another house, a younger Slytherin was cast aside in most cases. Only the older sixth and seventh-year students would interact with their younger siblings without being ashamed.

If the younger sibling happened to be in a different house, however, the opposite could be said. They would often turn their backs on their older sibling, opting to fit in rather than be labeled as a Slytherin lover. It was a bit disheartening. The teachers made the split a bit better, or at least they tried to. Without being in their own classrooms and having absolute authority over the students for their allotted amount of time, there wasn't much a teacher could do.

Hopefully, this would change with the start of classes. You've got to keep your head up no matter the cost, right?

 **|—|**

Once my friends had arrived for breakfast, I didn't feel as lonely anymore. Their presence was extremely welcome and eventually, we got around to the topic of our first class. It was a bit of a shame that we'd have to face the rivalry on our first class of the term, a weekend of brainwashing certainly would have its downsides.

"We should probably try to get their early. I know their head of house will try not to be biased, but I can't help worrying about some bullying going on. While I hate to admit it, we have to watch our skins these first few days." Alex spat bitterly. I knew how he felt, having been shunned at every turn. We had met a fair amount of students in other houses, yet we had failed to make any acquaintances.

"It'll be fine," Karina reassured us. We all looked at her with straight faces, our eyelids faltering slightly.

"As much as I'd love to say 'you're right,' we can't just ignore the elephant in the room." Kayla shook her head. "The Gryffindors are usually the most pressed when it comes to this stupid rivalry. The stubborn sides of their bravery let them continue. The Slytherins, with our amazing amount of pride, fight back to conserve our pride. It's a never-ending cycle and it's stupid." Alex huffed in agreement.

"But there could also be a few weaker Gryffindor students who get bullied. We have to protect those too." I pointed out, getting strange looks from everyone.

"You do realize you just suggested that we integrate the _weaker_ Gryffindors… right?" Alex asked

"Yeah. The weaker ones. They'll be bullied. But knowing that even their worst enemies have their back and will help them get stronger will boost their confidence. It's not even for selfish reasons. Gryffindors can be assholes, just like everyone. The only difference between them and the rest of us is that they think they're better than everyone else, solely on the name of their house. Even when that's not the case. There are a few humble ones in there, but those are far and few in between." I kept explaining to them until my watch vibrated, showing me that it was already 8:40.

"We have 20 min to get to class. I'd suggest leaving now if we want to get there early." I told the group as I got up, grabbing my notebook from the table.

Karina got up right after, walking by my side as she smiled at me.

"Those were some fine choice words, Mr. Ponce. You sure you're not just using the vulnerable students for your own benefit?" I placed a hand to my chest in mock hurt.

"To think you'd think so poorly of me and my intentions." I then shook my head as I placed my hand on her head, a smile on my lips.

"I meant every word of what I said, Karina. Even though I am a Slytherin, I will always value my friends. Those who are in need of saving will be saved." My gaze bore into her own as I stared at her for a long while before I snapped out of my daze. It was then I noticed how close I was inching my face along, getting closer and closer to her own. I abruptly turned my face away, a blush strongly setting into my cheeks, before I straightened again and turned towards the entrance to the common room

"Serpentes Cauda." I managed before I took her hand and lead her into the common room.

"Let's hurry up. We need to get to class before the Gryffindors do."

 **|—|**

When the group arrived in the potions classroom, there was a man with dirty blonde hair and a matching beard sipping coffee from a beaker, his feet up on his desk as he was reading the ' _Daily Prophet'_. He had dull blue eyes that quickly looked up once he saw the students filtering in. On the desks were packets of paper, the class set up in rows of desks consisting of 2 people to a desk.

"Hey, all. As you come in, I'd like you to sit anywhere you'd like. The only rule is; One Slytherin and one Gryffindor to a desk. I made sure to crunch the numbers, and I saw that there was an even number of students from both houses." He saw some of the faces directed his way

"You guys are the ones who want to continue with the stupid rivalry. This is the only way I know would work. Be glad you can still sit around your friends. First come first served." He then went back to drinking his coffee and reading.

After a bit, the rest of the students began to filter in, a group of high and mighty Gryffindor students walking in, pushing a few of the weaker looking first-years out of the way. The professor reiterated his instructions, getting a few more groans.

"Just because I'm your head of house doesn't mean you're getting special treatment. Now pick an open seat and sit down." As he finished, the school bell rang signifying the start of classes. The professor got right to work, introducing himself and going through the syllabus.

"I swear you can see the future." Alex turned towards around in his seat, facing me.

"Nope. I just have really good intuition. That and it's a common tactic used by teachers to get conflicting sides to work together." I told him, writing down all the notes on the board at the front of the class.

"Professor Wine, these two _Slytherin students_ ," I felt the venom oozing from the very tone of the boy sitting next to me, "won't stop talking. Is it possible for me to move my seat?"

' _This little-'_

"Nope. The whole reason for putting you all in groups of 2 is so you can get to know one another and get this stupid rivalry out of your systems. You better get used to one another because in here, you're partners. I'm almost certain I don't have to remind you, especially since you'll be spending the next 5 to 7 years together depending on how you do on your O.W.L.'s. So suck it up and get used to it. If you want to switch, find another Gryffindor who will switch with you." Professor Wine told the kid, not even pausing in his writing of the steps of the potion we would attempt to make that day. You'd think he'd use his wand, or some magic, to have the chalk write it out for him.

The door to the class suddenly opened and, with a turn of all our heads, we saw a meek-looking Gryffindor scanning the room as he met eyes with Wine before flinching.

"S-s-s-sorry I-I'm late prof-fessor. I-I-I G-got-!"

The boy next to me promptly rose with a huff, startling the meek boy. He sent a glare his way, grabbed all of his things, and scanned the room. He quickly found the only empty seat in the room and smiled menacingly at the poor boy.

"Ah, runt! Why don't you come sit over here? I'll be taking that seat over there, and this is the only seat left." The nerve of this kid.

The meek boy, having no backbone or say in this decision, simply scurried over to the seat next to me and sat down as the other boy walked calmly to the other seat, sitting next to a disgusted looking Slytherin girl. Chelsea, I think her name was.

"Don't mind him, he's just a jerk. My name is Tony. Tony Ponce. What's yours?" I asked the meek kid as I slid over my own copy of the notes to let him catch up.

"It's Joseph Foster," was his weak reply, he then paused before mustering up a bit more courage to continue, "but everyone calls me Joe. Well… everyone except those mean students in my house. They call me a runt and make fun of me saying that I should have been placed in Hufflepuff since I'm not brave, smart, or cunning." I began to sympathize with him before looking into his eyes. If anyone paid enough attention to the poor kid, they would see the fire in them. He had something to prove, just like me.

"Don't worry about it, Joe. I'll help you out whenever you need it. All you have to do is ask. If you don't have a place in your house, there's always a place in my family for you. Just ask any of my friends." I then pointed at Alex, Kayla, and Karina who all gave me a thumbs up and gave Joe a nod. I could see the effect of security wash over his body almost immediately as he visibly relaxed, a small smile etched onto his face.

"Five Points from Gryffindor." Wine startled everyone as he suddenly took points from his own house. "And Ten Points to Slytherin." Everyone looked at him slightly dumbfounded, was this man insane?

"Reasons being you," he pointed at the snobby kid who used to be my partner, "Mr. Carter. For insulting one of your own. And a reward to Slytherin for having listened to my instructions perfectly. They also sat through all the glares sent their way without ever once complaining and," He looked in my direction, "an extra Five points to Slytherin due to Mr. Ponce having taken the time to help out Mr. Foster in his time of need despite being part of the rival houses. This ladies and gentleman is what I am striving for. A bond between the two houses. A bond between all houses. You all go to the same school, Yes. You all were sorted into different houses based on traits you might not even know you have! That does not mean you can bully each other and hope to get away with it! This is a _school_! This is your first day of classes! If the bitterness is already this high, imagine what it would have been like a few weeks from now!" He then shook his head as a smile crept onto his lips.

"Turn to page 5 of your potions books. Today we'll be going over the specifics to a Forgetfulness Potion. One that a lot of you will claim to have taken the day of an exam or a practical." He joked, a few students snickering with him. "We'll be making a trial potion as well, so don't worry too much about messing up."

 **|—|**

"You know, Joe, you're really good at potions," I commented as I watched him diligently stir the liquid in his cauldron in smooth counterclockwise movements. "I could learn a thing or two from you."

Joe just blushed and mumbled thanks as he continued to stir, his eye scanning his page to see what was next on the list of things to do. Not surprisingly, Joe and I were the first group to finish our potion with Karina and some Gryffindor guy finishing a few minutes after. Wine graded our potion twice, having taken a swig of the potion after having commented on how it looked absolutely perfect. He ended up repeating the same exact phrases as he looked at it the second time, only knowing he had taken a drink when he saw that the vile was half empty. This caused Joe to laugh as the Professor gave us our first grade, an O for outstanding.

"Get used to this grading, as it will also be reflective of what you'll get on your O.W.L.'s at the end of the year." He wrote once again on the board before turning to grade Karina's Potion.

To say she didn't look happy was somewhat of an understatement. I'd only just noticed, but the scowl on her face was something to be fearful of. When they had gotten an O, I half expected Karina's anger to subside, but it all but exploded afterward.

"Professor, may I have a chat with Tony?" She all but forced out of her clamped teeth. Before the professor could so much as answer her, she had already begun her march towards my direction. I saw Joe visibly shrink as Karina yanked me off my seat. Alex saluted me as he watched from his chair. ' _Damned traitor!'_

When we got outside of the classroom, I could see the rage in her eyes.

"This is fuckin bullshit!" She practically yelled in my face, I could only stare at her with wide eyes as she continued her rant. She explained about how the boy she was partnered with did nothing but stare at her and kept telling her how cute she was and kept trying to either get her to kiss him or kept asking her out the whole time.

"It's a wonder I got through the stupid procedure without having purposely made the potion blow up in his face!" She threw her hands in the air as she slumped to the floor against the wall opposite the door. I sat down with her, patting her leg. She let her head drop onto my shoulder, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips. "Why can't we just stick with the people we're comfortable with?" She then looked up at me, a small smile on her pretty face.

"Cuz the whole point of the first few lessons is to get us acquainted and comfortable with the other house. It's just a matter of whether or not you can handle it. If anything, I'll let you have Joe for a few lessons before we have to switch back." I joked, earning a laugh from the girl beside me. It was music to my ears and it clearly made her mood a lot better.

"We should probably get back to class." She said after a minute of silence. I nodded, waiting for her to take her head off of my shoulder. Once she did, I got up and extended my hand to her.

"My offer still stands," I said as she took my hand. I pulled her up and lead her to the door, my hand still in hers. "I'm sure Joe won't have a problem with it. I'll talk with the professor after class if you want me to?" She thought about it before shaking her head, her small smile sent a shiver down my spine. ' _Oh no.'_

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll deal with it on my own. Thanks for your concern though. It's really sweet and I really appreciate it." She gave me a hug before opening the door. "Ladies first." She smiled playfully as I rolled my eyes, did a tiny curtsy to humor her, and walked into the room as she followed me in, a giggle being heard as the rest of the class could be seen finishing up with their potions.

Professor Wine saw us walk in and nodded his acknowledgment before continuing to patrol the groups finishing up, grading a few on his way over.

"I trust you guys handled whatever problem there was?" He asked as he looked between me and Karina, who was sitting a few chairs away. I nodded, helping Joe fit all his things into his cauldron.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Just that Karina's partner didn't do any of the work and only distracted her." I spoke softly, so as not to let Karina hear me. The professor simply nodded as he looked back to see Karina sending a small glare my way, suspicious of what I was talking with Wine about.

"She doesn't want me to step in though. She'd rather deal with it in her own way, which I'm scared would be a bit too much. I just wanted to voice my concern professor." I said, looking up at the taller man. He smirked as he looked back to the front of the room.

"My students are a handful, but you guys don't need to worry. This was just a way to set up connections. Have you guys intermingle. Some of you won't be here in your sixth year, so I'd like to make this as fun as possible." He then walked back to the front of the class, beckoning the rest of the students to bring up their potions, even if they were unfinished. With a few helpful pointers, as well as a few chastisements due to an unwillingness to cooperate for some groups, the class was filled with a small hum of chatter as we waited for the bell to ring.

"Apparently," Wine said cutting into the voices, "It looks like my plan worked. For most of you at least." He took a few glances around the room. "I'm glad, to be frank. I didn't expect this from the 'Rival Houses', maybe Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, but not this class. Not for a week at least." He then sent us a cat-like smile as he returned to his desk and picked up his copy of the ' _Daily Prophet'_. He then kicked his feet up onto his desk and filled his 'cup' with coffee once more after having tapped it with his wand.

"Class dismissed." He said not a second before the bell rang. The group of students was startled to hear the bell ring, yet we quickly got over our initial shock and began to filter out of the class.

As a small gesture of thanks, I brought Joe along with me to introduce him to my friends. Kayla was very friendly to him, probably because he was being bullied and cuz he was pretty short. Karina already liked him because of the fact that he wasn't like the rest of the Gryffindor's, and because he was actually a genuinely nice guy. Alex held a bit of pity for the kid, but got along with him well, seeing as how Alex sat right in front of us. He already knew how cool Joe was and had gotten his potion done thanks to Joe's help as Alex's partner was a bit intimidated by his house and his wild hair. We'd try to get through to them eventually, though it would seem that they might make that harder than it would seem.

Once the introductions were done, and numbers were exchanged, we bid Joe goodbye as we walked into the common room to grab the things we needed for our next class; Herbology with the Ravenclaw first-years.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay, Life got in the way. I'll try to prevent it from now on.**

* * *

To say the period was less exciting than potions would be somewhat true while also being somewhat of an understatement. While there was no rivalry between the two houses present, the two did have a trait in common: Pride. The Ravenclaws prided themselves in being smart while the Slytherins couldn't bear a blow of underestimation from anyone. Hence, the greenhouses were blasting with noise on the inside, each house testing the knowledge of the other.

"It's a good thing I chose to put those Mandrakes in the second greenhouse." The professor and head of house for Hufflepuff sighed as she tried to quiet down the class.

"Professor Kinloch," Karina raised her hand once more, having a question on the charm they were currently going over. As soon as the professor was upon the group, Karina pointed at the board.

"Why are we learning a charm in Herbology?-Not that I am questioning your teaching- just- confused is all." Her resolution faltered a bit under Kinloch's kind gaze to which the teacher simply gave a small laugh before bringing the question to the attention of the whole class. She explained that the Fire-Making Spell, _Incendio_ , was to be used in case of the eventual dealing with devils snare, which made Tony look to Kayla as she shrugged her shoulders, having once again proven she was more well rounded than Alex gave her credit for, as she had predicted this very plant to be showcased in their study session on the previous Saturday.

It was then that Tony realized that Karina had gotten up from her seat and was chatting away with a slightly shorter girl in the back of the greenhouse, the two had been inspecting a few of the more docile plants that Kinloch had simply put out in the open so as to gain light. They looked very similar in hair and in skin tone, one could even confuse them as cousins.

Alex smirked seeing his friend stare at the two girls in the back of the room before he nudged Tony and hung his mouth open with glazed eyes as his friend turned his attention towards him. Once Tony saw his friends mockery, he flushed red and shoved the fool lightly, Kayla laughing at Tony's expense.

Lunch came soon after at a time that couldn't be better for Tony, seeing as how he failed to come up with a comeback. The quiver was starving and they all but rushed to the great hall, leaving the rest of the students in the dust.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you," Alex said with tears in his eyes, holding a plate of bacon as close to him as possible without spilling or touching the contents. The rest of the group had similar, albeit not as intense, reactions.

"Did you guys see that Quidditch poster out in the hall?" Tony asked as he looked up from his plate filled to the brim with food. The others, not going to stop their eating to entertain the muggle-born, shook their heads. This was good for Karina as she tore off a chunk of steak with her teeth using the shake as help.

"Slow down, She-wolf. What are you gonna do next? Sink your teeth into me?" Tony joked nervously. When Karina's eyes met his, something inside of him did a flip and for whatever reason he now wanted Karina to sink her teeth into him. What?

"H-h-hey. D-do you mind if I s-sit here?" Came a small voice from the side of the group. Alex looked up to see Joe standing there, a plate with food in his hands. He nudged Tony, who immediately looked towards the Gryffindor table to see a mass of people sending some nasty glares at Joe.

"Sure thing, Buddy. So long as you let me have a crack at the jerks who kicked you out." Tony turned to glare at the students looking towards their table, those who he met eyes with flinching away.

"So, Joe. What brings you to the table of at least half-bloods, minus one?" Alex asked, taking a peek at Tony as he saw the boy deadpan in annoyance, a smirk appearing on the curly haired kids face. That made Joe crack a smile before it faltered a bit.

"I-it's nothing you guys should worry about. Just… nevermind." Joe hesitated. Kayla put a hand on his arm, giving Joe's arm a soft, reassuring squeeze.

"Joe. If you're having trouble with your housemates, I'd suggest going to a professor. Professor Wine preferably, seeing as how he also doubles as your Head of House." Kayla was trying to steer the boy in a direction that did not warrant violence. Alex, on the other hand, knew just what to do in these situations.

"We'll rough 'em up a bit, Joe! Show them that you're not one to pick on only because you have the guts to get along with Slytherins!" He stood to glare at the table of gold and red. Karina slapped his arm, getting him to sit back down before he caused any trouble. Tony laughed as he moved over a bit, leaving the edge of the bench for Joe. He happily sat down and began to eat quickly. The group each looked at each other before silently agreeing that Joe needed protection. The cinnamon roll never seeing those he could call his friends formulating plans.

It was sometime later before Karina looked past the two boys in front of her, waving just past Tony and Joe. Upon turning around, Tony saw that she was waving to the girl who he saw chatting with Karina in the back of the greenhouse. The girl, a girl with white teeth and a bit of baby fat still on her cheeks quickly walked over and have Karina a hug. The two tightened until the girl began to rapidly tap on Karina's shoulder causing the snake to release her from her bind. They both ended up laughing before Karina whispered something to the girl, who began to whisper back. They giggled once more before turning their attention to the Quiver.

"So, as a few of you may have noticed," Karina began, her eyes lingering on Tony for a second, "I was talking to this girl last period in Herbology. Guys, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Brenda Marshall." The girl beside Karina, Brenda, smiled proudly before she waved.

"I'm glad to meet Nina's friends! Hopefully, she won't bug you guys nearly as much as she has me these past 11 years." She then jabbed at Karina's sides before casting a look at Tony. She wiggled her eyebrows quickly at her cousin before she started heading back to her seat.

"I look forward to getting to know you all. Treat my sister well." It was more of a statement than a request, which Tony didn't fail to hear. Joe raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you said she was your cousin?" He took a slice of bread off of the platter in front of him.

Karina smiled as she took her seat once more. "She is. But we've basically been inseparable since we were babies. We even went to the same elementary school and were in the same classes every time." The smile never left her face and the group was full of questions.

 **|—|**

Brenda was a very eager person. She loved exploration and was fascinated by things she didn't know or understand. As such she was sorted into Ravenclaw for her interest in books and her craving to attain more knowledge. She grew up surrounded by books. Her father was a professor in a Muggle University, while her mother was a simple librarian. This, however, was a simple veil to the outside world. You see, Brenda's Father was a Muggle-born wizard yet after attending Hogwarts his love for numbers and Arithmancy drove him to become a Mathematics Professor. Brenda's mother, having fallen in love with the man during their years at Hogwarts, was relieved when her feelings were returned.

Brenda's mother, however, was somewhat of a dud. Not in the sense that she was stupid, far from it in fact. She was among the most brilliant wizards of her year. An accident caused her mother to almost completely lose her magic and, as such, Brenda was allowed to gain a wand much earlier than other students. The ministry under Hermione Granger-Weasley was very understanding of the situation and granted full leniency to Brenda and her Family, so long as she was restricted, meaning a list of the spells cast would be recorded in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. This, along with her hunger for knowledge, allowed Brenda to be extremely skilled with a wand, having 5 years' worth experience over the first years.

Karina, her ever curious, cunning, and sly cousin had, of course, been a tad bit jealous at the beginning. When Brenda's aunt, Karina's mother's sister, had corrected her daughter, Karina immediately apologized and was soon as interested in learning as her cousin. The two from that point onwards had been the best of friends and had often floo'd over to each others house.

When she saw that her cousin had made a group of friends in her house. Brenda was relieved, to say the least. She was worried that the house of Salazar would stay true to its name and would bully even the youngest of snakes. When she saw the eyes of Karina's friends, however, she felt something catch itself in her throat. Their eyes held nothing but sincere compassion and friendship. There was that one boy looking at her cousin with a bit more passion than the rest, but she would deal with him at a later point.

When that boy turned his eyes towards her direction, however, Brenda felt her stomach leap once, her heart tighten, and her face became flushed. What in Merlin's name was that?

She looked back at her cousin quickly, their gazes making contact before she indicated towards the boy once more. She wiggled her eyebrows a bit, a red blush finding its way onto Karina's face before she left with a few parting words and a smile. Her sister would be fine.

 **|—|**

When the Quiver sat down for their first charms class, they were quite surprised to see a student sitting in the professor's chair, blowing a feather up into the air just above his face, his dirty blonde hair in the shape of a bowl but with curls on the tips. When the whole lot of Slytherin first-years were situated, the student got up, brought the chair to the front of the desk, and sat on the desk with his feet placed on the chair. He leaned forwards as he flicked his wand at the door, causing it to shut.

"Howdy," The boy said with a knowing smile as the Slytherins sat silently, simply staring at him.

"My name is John. John Nugent. My family calls me Jack because my parents were smart enough to name me after my father, who is- uncoincidentally- named after _his_ father. It's a whole lot of unnecessary information, and I'll probably be doing that a lot. Anyway," he pointed his wand upwards, a few sparks leaving it.

He then shook his wand, a few more sparks. Some students laughed as the boy soon stood on the desk practically strangling the wand. When he stepped on a pile of papers, his foot slipped and he promptly fell off the desk. In the ensuing chaos, however, none of the students saw the boy apparate to the back of the classroom. When the stacks of papers froze in mid-air and then stacked themselves back onto the desk, the man spoke from his seat in the back, startling everyone.

"Once again: Good afternoon class. I hope you enjoyed your lunch. My name is Professor Nugent and I will be your Charms teacher for the duration of your time here at Hogwarts... Or until I either get sacked or find a better paying and better rewarding Job." He adjusted his glasses, brown eyes looking over the students in front of him.

"Now. Who's willing to be my first victim?"

 **|—|**

The first-year Slytherin's were still laughing as they all piled out of the Charms room. Professor Nugent had simply asked questions pertaining to the children's lives before coming to Hogwarts and what they thought of the castle. He wasn't really going to get into anything too hard, seeing as how many of them were only just learning to use their wands. He did, of course, show them a huge array of charms he personally came up with and a few of the students walked out with their hair in rainbows, constantly shifting, or with cats for fingers, the little heads would disappear within a few minutes of leaving the class, well before their next one. There were still fireworks going off both in the classroom and down the hall, the smell of gunpowder covering the Third floor.

"Best class by far!" One of the Slytherins yelled out into the hall, everyone shouting their agreement. Nugent simply stood at his door watching the little shish kebobs leaving in a swarm, a large grin plastered on his face.

"Best get ready for the next class."

 **|—|**

"Woah! Transfiguration with the Headmistress? No way!" Kayla exclaimed, practically pulling the rest of the Quiver into the class. They all sat in the front seats closest to the front of the class, eager faces, and brains.

McGonagall smiled approvingly at the young girl with wild dirty blonde hair. She was remembering a certain Minister in her younger days acting similarly with every opportunity to learn something new.

"Settle down, children. The class is soon to begin. I would like to start by saying that this is a no-nonsense classroom. I will not be afraid to punish unruly students with a subtraction of house points." Everyone who was talking, however few, had become silent as the Headmistress raised her head a tad bit higher. "Good. Now today we will be covering the basics of Transfiguration."

"Transfiguration, in a simple manner of wording, is simply turning one thing into another. Observe." She turned to a chair she had placed next to her desk. With a flick of her wand, the chair became a live piglet. It squealed as it began to run around the classroom. Once it had begun to attempt to run out of the door, the Headmistress pointed her wand in the pig's general direction before smiling.

" _Accio_ , Piglet." The pig then began to float towards McGonagall, kicking and screaming. She then returned the pig back into its original form as she smiled at the shell-shocked faces of the students. "Now, many of you will not be able to complete what I made look simple for many years. As such, you will be practicing with matches today. Your objective is simple- Turn the match into a needle. But, before we begin, there must be notes taken. Please take out your quills and parchment, or pens and notebooks, and take notes."

 **|—|**

"This is so difficult! It's not fair that Alex got it the first try!" Kayla complained as she held her head in her hands. She had practiced the night before to no avail. She had studied this subject since she first saw her father turn a bird into a stone! How could she not have an affinity for this subject?

Tony looked at Karina for help before he nudged closer to the slightly angered witch next to him. "Maybe you're letting your feelings affect your flow of magic?" His voice managed to squeak out before Kayla whipped her head to look at the boy.

"That's it! Alex can't be better than me at something! It's just not possible! Maybe it really does have something to do with my emotions. Hmmm..." She began to mutter to herself before the Headmistress came over and surveyed their group.

"Good. Very good. Miss Griffin, if I may make a suggestion," Kayla's full attention was on the woman standing over them, "Try to relax. Many students cannot complete this task on the first day. In fact," She nodded towards Alex who was attempting to help another group while failing to reproduce his earlier feat.

"It would seem Mister Bazerko may have either forgotten his method or his first completion was with a stroke of luck." She then patted Kayla's shoulder before moving on. She may or may not have given Alex a runed match that could not be transfigured into anything else without enough magic output. She knew perfectly well that the boy held an affinity for this particular subject and looked forward to seeing what Albus had once seen in her all those years ago.

 **|—|**

"I had it the first time! What was different?!" Alex yelled out into the air as he then slumped onto Tony, feigning weakness. "Woe is me!"

The Quiver was headed to the Library, having completed their classes for the day, and wanted to get their assignments finished as soon as possible. Joe would be meeting up with them after having returned from the greenhouses after Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. It was around the time that the group had finally settled down that Brenda came rushing in, a wild expression on her face as she raced for her cousin's seat.

"You'll never guess who the Defense Professor is!" She was whispering loud enough for the rest of the group to hear but had kept her voice down enough to only get a glance from the Librarian. The group, who had only just begun to take out their supplies, looked to one another before collectively shrugging.

"It's Potter! _Harry Potter_!" Brenda visibly vibrated as she struggled to contain her excitement. "He allowed us to ask questions all about his life! I was surprised he even took such a job after being head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for years. Merlin knows how much he loved his job."

The whole group stared at her in disbelief while the only Muggle-born student sat there with a dumbfounded expression. "Harry Potter? Who's that? Some kind of celebrity or something?" Tony almost jumped from how quickly everyone turned to him and dropped everything they were doing.

"First Quidditch, now this! We really need a Magic Studies class to integrate muggle-borns into our society more efficiently." Alex muttered as he facepalmed.

For the next hour or so the group spoke all about Harry Potter, legends, myths, quotes, anything and everything related to the man himself. They spoke of his adventures at Hogwarts, how the Boy-Who-Lived became the Chosen One, and how he defeated the Dark Lord.

"Now I get all the hype." Tony nodded as he pulled out 'Hogwarts: A History.' "This book hasn't been updated in years! That's why there wasn't really anything on Harry Potter or the most recent Triwizard Tournament."

"Although, in hindsight, the most recent one should be called the Quadrawizard Tournament." Karina smiled at the group for her little intelligent quip, only getting flat expressions in return. She huffed angrily muttering an "At least I tried," grumpily.

|—|

It was some time later when the Quiver plus Joe and Brenda, both of whom were becoming, if not already considered to be, part of the Quiver, descended the stairs to head to the Great Hall.

It was well past 6 in the afternoon and after all that studying, reviewing, and overall goofing around, the band was pretty hungry. They were pleasantly surprised to see that not many students had come down for dinner as of yet, so they all sat on the edge of the Slytherin table.

"Food, my one, and only true love! How I've missed you so!" Alex almost threw himself onto the table as he saw all the food available.

"Are you really going to be this dramatic every single time we eat or is it just a habit?" Karina asked while eyeing Alex in a bit of annoyance. Alex looked back at her with indifference and turned back to his food.

"Don't listen to her, baby. Soon it'll just be me and you. You'll be in my stomach and I'll be a happy camper." He then put his finger on a slice of bread, shushing it while everyone stared.

"Don't talk. Just get in my mouth." He then whipped out his wand and performed the levitation charm, allowing the bread to float into his mouth.

"A bit extra, don't you think?" Tony chuckled, Kayla carefully aiming her wand at the bread. She sent a small bead of red at the bread, and it fell onto her own plate.

"So we just gonna use magic to eat now? I thought we were fully functioning humans who could use spoons and forks and stuff to eat." Karina asked, Tony getting ready to pull out his wand to try out some of the things. Brenda snorted at Tony as he slowly put his wand away having seen the glare directed at him from Karina. Brenda then noticed Joe also putting his wand away, although no one noticed him take it out in the first place, another snort.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning was one that was much calmer than that of the previous. No one was awake and the sun was just starting to peak over the mountains. The time was 5:56 am and no sane person would be awake within the castle walls.

Let it be known that Karina was not necessarily a sane person. But let it also be known that anyone who disagreed with the girl did not have an easy time when dealing with her. The Slytherin laid on her bed looking up at the ceiling, simply thinking about her experiences at school so far. A soft sigh of sleep escaped a girl's lips, causing Karina to look over at her dirty blonde haired friend who lay asleep only a few yards away.

Kayla was a doll, she could be helpful and resourceful at almost any point. She was really interested in the stars, and she knew her way around a wand. It was amusing to see both Brenda and Kayla go at it about a disagreement over Quidditch rules. It was even more amusing to see Brenda shot down in the one thing she prided over everything else: Knowledge. Kayla stuck her nose up high for those few seconds before Alex corrected both of them saying how the rule was updated since the publication of that outdated rulebook. A small smile reached her lips. Before coming to Hogwarts, Karina would have followed Brenda's extensive knowledge without question, even if wrong. If Brenda said it was true, it just was. Now, even though Kayla had proven her otherwise, Karina wouldn't really make an effort to verify her cousin's knowledge, knowing that this one blow would only drive Brenda to better herself. And with that, Kayla had gained her respect.

Alex was a flaming ball of craziness. The boy would jump off the bridge leading to the whomping willow if anyone dared him to do it. You'd be able to challenge him on it. He'd look you straight in the eye and simply say "Bet," and would jump in a heartbeat. Dare him to down a whole carton/bag of milk and he'd do it before promptly running off to throw up. By no means, however, was he stupid. The boy was full of surprises, as shown by his knowledge of the things he loves like Quidditch and Charms. This was a stark contrast to his chosen best friend.

Karina's smile turned shy as she blushed and pulled her covers over her head. Just thinking of the stupid boy made her blush. His stupid smile and the way his eyes lit up at the most simple of charms. Sure, he was a Muggleborn, but that didn't mean that he could just come to her with all of his stupid questions! And his aptitude for learning bugged her too. He would absorb knowledge like some sort of sponge. He would be able to perform most things within his first few attempts, only having trouble with things he didn't understand. It was the main reason why he couldn't turn the match silver, no matter how much he tried.

Her blush deepened as she imagined that dumb smile again, a glare sent upwards as she huffed. It was his fault she was awake in the first place! Having enough of trying to get more sleep, Karina angrily got up and started her day. Tony would pay for being so dumb.

 **|—|**

A yelp could be heard from the Slytherins Boy's Dormitory at the end of the first year hall. Tony was soaked, an angry Karina stomping out of the room after flinging a bucket at his head. Alex and the other guys looked between him and the door that was slammed shut before laughing hysterically at the boy.

"What the hell did I do?!" Tony yelled at the door before getting up and picking up a spare change of clothes.

"At least I don't have to worry about taking a morning shower." He sulked as the guys laughed again, this time as a result of his joke rather than at his expense.

 **|—|**

Tony had honestly been dumbfounded over the reason for his rude awakening. So much so that his first History of Magic class went by without him paying even a lick of attention to the teacher. When the Slytherin students flooded out of the class on their way to the second Transfiguration lesson, Tony walked beside Alex, using him as a shield between Karina and himself.

"I have done nothing wrong." He would simple whimper whenever Kayla asked. Joe even noticed the boy staying as far away from his female friend, an arched eyebrow in Kayla's direction, a shrug, and a huff from Karina was all he got in response.

 **|—|**

"You know, now that I'm looking at our schedule, we don't have any classes with the Hufflepuffs," Tony told the group as he placed his spoon in his mouth. He'd gotten a bit better since this morning, only stealing glances at the Raven haired girl to make sure she wasn't planning on killing him in broad daylight. He then showed Alex, using his wand as a pointer. It was then the Joe came over, a small cut on his cheek. He sat down next to Alex, directly across from Kayla.

"That's not really your fault. It just happened to be this way since the class sizes have been increasing ever so slightly as the years go by." It was then that Kayla noticed the cut, a soft questioning gaze directed at the sandy-haired kid. He shook his head ever so slightly, so as not to alert the others. It really wasn't a big deal, just a small cut is all.

Kayla, not being one to simply let things go, slid him a note of meeting up in the library after classes were finished for the day, to which Joe only nodded. They'd sort out the bullying problem without the use of tweedle dee and tweedle dumb, otherwise, it'd be as if hell froze over.

"So we have Charms again right after lunch, which is helpful since I wanted to ask Nugent about a certain spell, and to wrap up the day, we have Herbology with the Ravenclaws," Alex said more to Tony, as no one else was paying attention.

"And I, for one, am looking forward to it," Brenda said as she leaned onto Karina from behind. A small smile gracing her features as she forced her weight onto her cousin.

"Did you guys know that Hogwarts used to have a mascot?" Everyone looked at the Ravenclaw, her smile grew marginally. "It's true. Hubert the Hogwarts Hog. Shame he was eaten by a dragon. But, hey, at least we know where the motto comes from now, right?" The smile on the Ravenclaws face was angelic compared to that of her Slytherin Cousin, who only glared at Tony. The effect was massively reduced when he saw the corners of her mouth twitch upwards at the randomness of her cousin.

"You know you wanna smile." Brenda teased, shaking her cousin a bit. "Come on Nina! Loosen up a bit! So what if you lost sleep cuz you were dreaming about him? It's not like he cast a spell on you." Brenda emphasized by shooting small amounts of glitter from the tip of her wand, adding to the comedic effect. When she suddenly stopped, feeling her cousin begin to shake with rage and embarrassment, Brenda wrapped her arms around her cousin, tightened her hold, and looked up at Tony with panic in her eyes.

"Run!"

Tony didn't register what was happening until an arm reached across the table and grabbed a hold of his tie. When he felt the tie begin to enclose his throat, panic found itself in his eyes as he flailed with his wand before burning the tie in half. He then flew backward, rolling out of his seat, before quickly recovering and sprinting off in the direction of the nearest exit.

Karina, with an impressive show of physical strength, broke Brenda's hold and chased after the boy. Brenda was right behind the girl until she slowed near the exit of the hall.

"Welp… He's dead."

 **|—|**

Tony ran as fast as he could, legs pounding as he took the steps 3 at a time. He had no time to wait and see where the girl would pop up next. He needed a place to hide!

Turning down a corridor of the seventh floor, Tony ran down the hall before coming to a stop as he poked his head around the corner at the end of the hall. Karina was nowhere in sight. He then ran across the hall in the direction he had come, seeing if she had managed to follow him up the stairs, despite their changing as he made it to the top of the third-floor landing, making her end up on a completely different part of the castle.

"Note to self, Thank the Founders for coming up with that genius idea." He then ran down the hall once more, huffing as he was purely exhausted at this point. A quick glance at the corner revealed an angry Karina marching down the hall in the direction of Tony, clearly still angry. In the time he had lost her, she seemed to have picked up a giant mallet that she could carry with seemingly no strain at all. Tony did another 180 before noticing a door in the hall that looked to be the best he could do for now.

Had he taken the time to not panic, he would have noticed the fact that the door wasn't there beforehand. In his state, however, he pried the door open as quietly and quickly as he could before closing it with just the same urgency.

Unfortunately for him, however, Karina had turned the corner just as he had closed the door.

 **|—|**

A not-so-manly scream was heard throughout the castle a few seconds later, the Quiver already knowing the source while everyone else had chalked it up to the ghosts or something way more magical. This was a wizarding school after all.

 **|—|**

When Charms rolled around once more, Tony walked in sporting a few new bruises while a _still_ enraged Karina walked in right after him.

"Ah, young love.~" Nugent sang as he conjured up cupids and flowers. The class giggled until the joke was literally burned to ash by Karina.

"Oooo-kay then." Nugent got on with the lesson shortly after, explaining to everyone the levitation charm and how it might even raise some people's attitudes, another jab at Karina's mood.

 **|—|**

Herbology wasn't exactly as bright as the day previous when Brenda began to look over Tony's wounds, often sending weak glares at her cousin. Karina shot back with her own, only more intense, before turning back to her own work. Alex and Kayla simply remaining neutral on the issue, not feeling like getting in the middle of a conflict they simply didn't need to be a part of.

"She honestly went overboard. You didn't even do anything wrong either. I was just teasing her a bit." Brenda's eyes looked pained and guilty as she looked away out of shame. She let her bangs cover her eyes, she bit her lip out of the habit of being wrong, as she often did when getting into trouble.

"I'm sorry. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't pushed it at Lunch." She muttered weakly. Tony chuckled lightly before moving his head into Brenda's field of vision, getting the girl to look at him.

"No harm done," accompanied by a cheeky smile from him and an eye roll from her, "She woke up like this anyway. I woke up with a bucket of water being splashed on my head." He confessed, a light laugh coming from his memory. "She saved me time from taking a shower this morning."

At this, Brenda began laughing outright, in turn causing Tony to laugh with her. If one were to look closely, a light dust of pink could be found on both kids' faces.

"Well, _I_ for one think you need to take a proper shower. You smell." She pinched her nostrils together, joking as they continued to laugh.

"Still. I'm really sorry." She would continue to tell him throughout the rest of the lesson, which would result in him continuously brushing it off as nothing. This most recent time was as they were walking out of the lesson. Tony, sighing in defeat, smiled before he turned towards her.

"Make it up to me somehow, then." He heaved on his bag as they made the walk back towards the castle. Tony then told the Quiver he was going to stay outside for a bit, Kayla and Alex having no problems with it while Karina simply ignored him and continued her walk towards the castle. He motioned for Brenda to follow.

"You have a broomstick, right?" Tony asked, continuing the small trek.  
"Yeah, why?" She asked, an eyebrow raised.

"We're going flying!" A bright smile on his face was shown to her as he turned.

Taking a detour towards the Quidditch pitch, Brenda followed in silent bewilderment. When they stood in the middle of the pitch, Tony took out his wand and, mimicking a spell he saw Nugent use earlier that day, he spoke.

" _Accio_ , Brenda's Broomstick." Nothing happened for several seconds before it came flying from Ravenclaw Tower. Brenda simply gaped at Tony for a few seconds before she noticed him trying to hand over her broom. It was a Firebolt Supreme, to which Tony whistled while he looked it over.

"H...How do you know such an advanced spell! We don't learn that until Fourth-year!" Tony didn't answer at first before his own broom, a Nimbus 2001, sleek, black, and overall well kept for a broom so outdated.

"Saw Nugent use it right after taking that beating from your cousin. Now," Tony flung his leg over his broom as he looked at Brenda, a small golden ball clasped in his hand "Are you ready to lose, Marshall? Cuz word on the street is you're a bloody brilliant seeker." His voice was laced with his developing British accent while she rolled her eyes and sent him a smirk.

"Is that a challenge?"

 **|—|**

Kayla eyed Joe's approaching figure as he sat down next to her with a small sigh. He had almost forgotten about their agreement but remembered when he scratched at the cut earlier during Transfiguration. He really didn't like the way Kayla was eyeing him down with a sense of danger laced in her unspoken question. There was no way of getting out of this without an explanation. Joe sighed once more.

"Kayla, it's not that serious." He tried, futilely, to reassure the girl. The blonde simply kept her stare up until he crumbled, placing his head on his folded arms.

"They bully me, Kayla. I'm an outcast in my own house. Just because I can hang around with a bunch of snakes." He looked at the girl in front of him. "I can take this much. It's nothing compared to how meek and weak I was back in elementary school. They would throw rocks at me and insult my parents, calling us all freaks. Not that I could ever prove them right, seeing as how the statue of secrecy prevented me from doing just that. Merlin forbid my Father slip and would become fed up with my constant state." He smiled weakly at Kayla, finally seeing her stare soften just a bit.

"I'll be fine so long as the snakes who are despised so much continue to accept me." Kayla smiled as she slid a parchment across the table.

"We'd never dream of leaving you behind, mate. But I will need a list of those who are harming you. Just in case." A smile that was anything but warm on Kayla's face. Joe was too sensible not to think it probable that Kayla would deal with as many of the names he would write by the end of the week, if not the end of the day. Another sigh escaped his lips, a smile ending it as he took up the offered pen. Tony and Alex would have been the wiser and brasher choice, but Kayla was the most effective.

When the list was complete, to the best of Joe's knowledge, he then moved on to the Charms assignment, asking Kayla for some help. The young witch was more than glad to show her skills, adding in little bits to Joe's notes here and there as they completed and reviewed the completed assignment.


End file.
